Considerations for the Design, Development, and Testing of an Integrated Large Monobore Completion System to Facilitate High-Rate Production

Abstract

TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractMonobore completion techniques have been noted for their capability to provide operators with a high degree of maintenance flexibility. This enhanced flexibility is made possible by the fact that there are no restrictions on any tool that may be deployed in the liner as often happens when completions have tapered production strings. While this can result in substantial economic benefit, the advantages often are not realized until later in the life of the well.Although maintenance is always an important consideration, the general volatility of oil prices has forced the industry to target operational strategies that can offer quicker returns on investment. Therefore, innovations to the traditional monobore concepts have been needed. The completion system discussed in this paper employs large-diameter production tubing, and therefore, it can provide not only the maintenance benefits of a monobore system but also the added advantages of an increased flow area. The increased flow area 1) allows the number of wells to produce a given reservoir to be reduced and 2) enables production rates to be increased, which in turn, reduces long-term operating expense since the reservoir can be depleted in a shorter period of time.The specific benefits of the large-bore monobore completion are as follows:• No restrictions are imposed on production • Production rates are maximized • Gas turbulence areas are eliminated • No restrictions on any service/intervention tools • Tubing retrieval to the liner top is allowed • Full access to the liner for squeezing or mechanical isolation of the perforations is allowed• Ancillary equipment requirements are minimized.